Wednesday, 4 August 2010

Wednesday Words - “Secret Love Match” by Nancy Lenna

In a follow-up from Friday’s guest post, here’s an excerpt from Nancy Lenna’s Secret Love Match which is available from Red Rose publishing now.

SECRET LOVE MATCH

By Nancy Lennea

“This has been one heck of a day, Taylor. I watched you open that van door and sweep Jamie into your arms. Until the van took off, I forgot to breathe.”

“Everything turned out okay.”

“I know. He means so much to me. I love him as if he were my own. I hope I’m blessed with a little boy like him someday.”

He squirmed slightly at her words until he pictured her with a newborn at her breast. As she ground her lithe body into his buttocks, he used all his composure to keep from coming where he stood.

“I wonder how the bad guys knew where we are staying.”

“I have no idea, sweetheart. Only Gloria and Vinnie knew.”

“That’s not exactly true.”

Taylor swung around and grabbed her by the shoulders. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I got a phone call just after you put me in your bed.”

“And?” Taylor asked, while forcing away that seductive image.

“Stuart called. He was concern for my safety and—”

“And you told him you are safe with me, in my hotel.”

“Yes. But, he couldn’t possibly have anything to do with all this.”

“Let’s go for a swim,” he said, changing the subject. He kissed her, satisfying his need to taste her lips. His hands slid around her with his yearning to pull her close.

Savoring her scent, he released her then tiptoed into his bedroom while Becka went to change in the downstairs bathroom. Vinnie lay sprawled across the bed, fully clothed. Earlier, they listened to him call Gloria to assure her of everyone’s safety. Now pain and weariness etched his face. Taylor offered him his bed. Happy to see his friend out cold, he stripped off his clothes and tugged on his swimsuit and beach robe. Grabbing condoms from the nightstand and two towels from the master bathroom, he joined Becka in the kitchen.

A small, pink bikini hugged her curves. Hoping his now-limp cock would stay that way, for the time being, he picked up a room key, slipped on sandals, and led her toward the rooftop pool.

“What about Stuart Craddock? Do you think he had anything to do with all this?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart. The man obviously wants you unless it’s part of a plot to get closer to your sister. Seems too far-fetched.”

“But, he knew what airport and what flight I would be taking home the day the cabbie attacked me at the estate. Could he have instigated the first kidnapping attempt as well?”

He couldn’t answer her question though he’d always suspected Craddock hid dirty secrets. It wouldn’t surprise him if he ran with a crook like Spratt. He wheeled the dining cart into the hall then shut the door. The two burly guards stood at attention outside Princess Sophia’s door. As they passed, Taylor stopped a moment to let them know what happened. He stressed the need to take extra precautions. The men nodded at his hushed words.

Becka sensed Bart Spratt wouldn’t give up until he had Jamie, or until they stopped him. Could he be in business with Stuart? In her naivety, she’d assumed he had earned his millions legally. She might have been dangerously misinformed.

Becka waited for Taylor to do what he did best—keep her safe. Tonight, the safety of her entire family lay in his hands. He’d told Gloria to spend the night with a friend in case Spratt and his thugs thought they’d all head back to the estate.

The afternoon’s terror-filled kidnap attempt wiped everyone out. Laney had stepped in and taken charge of her son, but why hadn’t she kept her mouth shut about her and Taylor?

She let him pull her down the hall by the wrist. He used his key card to open a door near the elevators. A staircase led up to a tiled patio, surrounding the pool. She tossed her towel on a lounge chair. A steamy breeze wafted over the privacy wall. The scents and sounds of the city enveloped her as she removed her cover-up. Exhaust fumes mingled with fragrant tea roses blooming on a trellis. Car horns and revving engines seemed out of place amid their beauty.

“It’s getting late.” Stars twinkled above their heads making her feel as if she and Taylor were the only people on earth. She dipped a toe in the water. The deep end lay shrouded by shadow. The danger had ceased for today, but the tension in her shoulders lingered. The pain in her head had dissipated, but the horror of Jamie’s kidnapping seeped in. She needed to occupy her mind and body in order to dull terror-sparked senses.

The man of her dreams tossed his own towel into a chair, and then dove into the midnight blue water. Lit by one low-wattage underwater bulb, the water in the shallow end sparkled.

He cut through the dark water then popped up across from where she stood. She hesitated, unsure why Taylor scared her. He would never do anything she didn’t want him to do. She yearned to feel his arms wrapped around her.

She padded barefoot to the stairs in the shallow end. She sensed his gaze following her every move. When sensual warmth filled her belly, she chewed on her lower lip. The cool water soothed the heat blooming between her thighs. When the water reached her chest, she shivered, unsure if her body reacted to the night air or the hungry look on his face.

Her hands cut through the silky liquid. She swam until she slipped into his arms. Taylor held onto the side of the pool with one hand, treading water, and clasped his other hand around her waist.

Pulled into his wet embrace, lips found lips.

The near-silence, disturbed only by those faraway sounds of city life, soothed her fears. He deepened the kiss. His tongue traced her lower lip. She gasped, surprised at the sensuous softness. Her arms instinctively circled his neck while water dripped from his wet hair to slick over her trembling fingers.

“Are you cold, my love?” he asked when he released her mouth.

Did he feel her body shudder? With their faces in shadow, he must be waiting for her to answer. The cool water could not hide his body’s growing interest. When he pressed his groin into hers, she moaned before answering.

“No, Taylor, I’m a little nervous, though.”

“Nervous? You? You are the most courageous woman I’ve ever met.”

ABOUT NANCY LENNA

Nancy lives the dream. After growing up in Huntington, New York, and raising two handsome sons in New Hampshire, Nancy and her husband moved to North Carolina. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Celtic Heart Romance Writers, Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers, and Sisters in Crime. She also writes paranormal romance such as DRAGON’S CURSE from Whispers Publishing as Nancy Lee Badger: www.nancyleebadger.com